Will a Supercharger increase my towing performance? Also, towing an Airstream Bambi.

Hey guys, what about dropping the gear ratio (or raising, not sure how it works) in the dif so the tranny works at higher RPMs?

 

More pics of the Airstream plz!

 

I would rather stay in a lower gear like 4th (as suggested here) then going and messing with my gear ratio. I know some people do this to accommodate for bigger tires but I don't think the cost and hassle would be worth it in this situation. I changed up the gearing to 4.88 in my old 1994 Toyota 4x4 because I was young and though I needed 33's. It worked but I swore I'd never mess with the gearing on a daily driver again.

 

Not 5k, 1k-3k for a supercharger for your truck. 3k new and as cheap as 1k used... Don't listen to the 2nd gen people that don't know shit about 1st gens.

 

Haha...Okay, not trying to turn this into a "look at my cool airstream" post but I'll post a couple of interior pics. It's a good little camper and I have been living out of it for almost 5 months. It's getting cold at night here in Wyoming so I'm still learning the ins and outs of living in a camper and not letting stuff freeze.

The Bambi is a 19 footer. Like I said in my previous posts, towing the camper feels like it's at the limits of what a 1st gen should tow. If it was the smaller, lighter 16 footer Bambi or a fiberglass camper like a Scamp or Casita I think the 1st gen wouldn't feel so stressed out.

 

I'd probably buy a new one if I did go this route just because I'd be nervous putting a used thing like a SC on my Tacoma, which I have never had any major issues with. But then I'd have to pay someone to install it and that wouldn't be cheap. And then I keep reading about all the URD injectors and pulleys and my head starts to spin....

 

How about rear suspension, any upgrades there? It looks to be low in the rear.

 

Yeah, the rear definitely has some weight on it. But the load distributing hitch helps out ALOT. The way it was explained to me by the previous owner of the Airstream was that the load bars on the hitch help distribute weight along the frame to the front tires to keep the front end from floating, or something like that.

I redid my whole suspension with stuff I bought from Wheelers and some help from a TW bro this past fall even before I considered buying another Airstream.

112-620 Eibach/Toytec front coil springs

Bilstein front (Set at 0) and rear 5100 shocks

Old Man Emu Dakar rear leaf springs (Part Number CS046RA/B)

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...area-that-can-help-me-install-a.348166/page-2

 

I had 145k on my 98 4runner when i put the SC on (sc $1100+ urd 7th injector $800) and it ran alot better towing, specially uphill. I sold it with 200k and was still running strong. Have faith in the 3.4

 

plus its not hard to install, i have done it 3 times and have gotten it down to 3 hours tops. I had the 1st gen sc so putting new oil in it meant , pull the sc cause the fill plug is on the bottom side. 7th injector is easy to install. No pinging issues. I even put the 2.1 pulley on it and it ran like a raped beast

 

Who said a 1st gen trd s/c was $5000? They're much cheaper.

 

Maybe that's a new one installed?

 

No way, a new one with install more than 3k is outrageous

 

Nope. Not a chance. 2nd gen yes, 1st gen no.

You'd see those for at least $1k-3

 

Okay, but $1-3k is a pretty wide margin. Anybody in Wyoming know where I can get a SC installed for this price?

 

I'd say talk to one of the cows, but they don't have thumbs so probably not the best ones to work on your ride.

WY is pretty much nothing but open space, more suckage than should be allowed in one state. Glad I'm planning on leaving. But at least it's better than Nebraska

Most shops around Cheyenne are charging in the $80/hour or higher range, figure 20 hours, so $1600'ish in labor alone.

 

If you want to SC it that's up to you but I'd either stick to what ya got or at most move up to a 1/2 ton. A full size 3/4-1 ton diesel is WAY overkill for that little trailer. If ya can afford new there's always the new Nissan titan Cummins coming soon, that way you get the Cummins engine without the crappy dodge wrapper. Or the Colorado diesel

 

its at best an 8 hour job, by yourself , in your own garage

 

So back to your question. NO a super charger is not good for towing. There is no intercooler!! If you pull over a pass or long uphill you are pumping hot air into a hot engine in thin air.
A friend supercharged his avalanche to tow a 19 foot travel trailer. Sb 327 auto with shift kit. Pulling over i90 he almost burned it down. Engine oil temp, trans temp, water temp all pegged the gage.
We pulled the charger and he bought a duramax diesel.

 

A supercharger will help somewhat but it is easier to get a full size truck for towing.